


to keep the world at bay

by 5ftjewishcactus



Series: Kisses Bingo 2020 [2]
Category: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: Anxious Aziraphale (Good Omens), Asexual Character, Asexual Relationship, Aziraphale's Bookshop (Good Omens), Caring Crowley (Good Omens), Chubby Aziraphale (Good Omens), Couch Cuddles, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Love, No Sex, No Smut, Other, Post-Almost Apocalypse (Good Omens)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-03
Updated: 2020-08-03
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:49:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,485
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25679902
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/5ftjewishcactus/pseuds/5ftjewishcactus
Summary: Following the almost apocalypse, Crowley sits in the bookshop and watches Aziraphale until he notices that the angel is not holding together as well as he'd hoped. He closes up the shop and comforts his angel, holding him close and offering him whatever he needs to feel better, on their own side.
Relationships: Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens)
Series: Kisses Bingo 2020 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1847287
Comments: 12
Kudos: 121
Collections: Aspec-friendly Good Omens, Kisses Bingo, comfort fics





	to keep the world at bay

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the [ Kisses Bingo](https://bingokisses.tumblr.com/) event. Prompts were "deep kisses/gentle shoulder bumps" and "cheek kisses/wiping away tears" I originally started writing it for the "gentle shoulder bumps" prompt but had already written in the cheek kisses and wiping away tears when the second call came out.

To the few customers who came into the bookshop, Crowley probably seemed like he wasn’t paying attention, lounged as he was in the window seat, eyes seemingly locked on his mobile. But that was the perk of wearing sunglasses. No one could see where his eyes really were looking and no one would bother him. Not even his angel. Which was where Crowley’s attention actually was. Aziraphale had decided to open the shop for the day and had busied himself with customers and re-organizing. A sense of normal. Or at least what passed as normal for them. After the last few days, Crowley understood that Aziraphale needed some sense of normalcy. 

The world had almost ended up and Crowley and Aziraphale were traitors to Heaven and Hell. They’d survived their would be executions and had earned themselves some breathing space. They could relax, settle into their new normal. Part of that normal including Crowley spending more time in the bookshop. Though, the last couple of days it was mostly to keep an eye on Aziraphale, as well as be close to him. He wanted to be there if, when, Aziraphale needed him. He knew what it felt like to lose Heaven and even though Aziraphale hadn’t fallen (thank someone it hadn’t come to that), he knew there would be inevitable fall out eventually. 

So he sat and he watched his angel, waiting for any telltale signs that Aziraphale needed him. Aziraphale busied himself with puttering around the shop, ignoring the few customers lingering about and re-cataloging his collection. There’d been several new additions, thanks to Adam, and Aziraphale wanted to be sure that nothing was missing. Crowley watched him from behind his shades, serpentine eyes always watching for any minor details. It wasn’t long before he noticed the dip in the angel’s posture. The sag of his shoulders. The way he’d pick up the books he was organizing, seem to stare at them for several long moments, before setting them down again. Crowley watched as Aziraphale’s hands shook, just as he set his most recent stack of books down. His eyes were staring at the shelf in front of him, but Crowley knew his thoughts were a million miles away. He snapped his fingers and the few customers in the store paused. 

“You’re all going to leave. Shop’s closing early. Get out.” Crowley spoke as he stood, eyes never leaving Aziraphale. 

The customers left, one by one. With another snap, the door shut and locked and the sign flipped to closed. Crowley walked over to Aziraphale who was still holding another book in his hands but his eyes were unfocused. Crowley circled him a moment, sensing for anything else he might’ve missed. Satisfied that they were truly alone, he stood next to the angel and gently bumped his shoulder against Aziraphale’s. 

“Angel,” he said, firmly. 

Aziraphale seemed to startle, blinking as he looked at Crowley. His blue eyes shone with unshed tears and the faraway look slowly vanished as they focused on Crowley. 

“I’m sorry, my dear,” he said, voice shaky. 

Crowley carefully took the stack of books from his hands and set them down. When he spoke, it was soft and ever so gentle. “It’s alright, angel.” 

Aziraphale nodded and looked around, as though finally realizing that the customers were gone and the shop closed up. He muttered a quiet ‘Oh’ and released a shuttering breath. Crowley held his hands, which were still shaking and pulled him towards the backroom. He made sure Aziraphale was looking at him, so he wasn’t doing anything to further upset him. 

“Come here, angel. Sit with me.” He sat down on the couch and pulled Aziraphale onto his lap. “Tell your demon all about it.”

Aziraphale sighed and put his arms around Crowley’s neck, as he settled himself against the demon. “I’m not really sure where to start.”

Crowley wrapped his arms around Aziraphale’s waist, giving his plump, fat middle a squeeze. “Well, how about I start then.”

Aziraphale looked at Crowley, eyes searching his face. Crowley nodded at him and Aziraphale reached up to remove his sunglasses. He gently set them on the arm of the couch, out of the way. The demon’s golden eyes stared up at him, full of love and concern. 

“Okay,” the angel whispered. 

Crowley nodded. “It’s been a very difficult few days. Years, really. But the last few days, especially. Everything you’ve ever known has crumbled away in one way or another.”

“Except you.”

Crowley smiled. “Except me.” He wanted to say something witty about Aziraphale being unable to get rid of him, but now wasn’t the time for it. His focus needed to be on Aziraphale. “But you’ve lost a lot. It’s alright if you’re feeling… untethered.” 

Aziraphale nodded. Crowley gave him another squeeze, a reminder that he was there and grounding him. 

“I am here, angel. Not going anywhere. And whatever you need, whatever will help you, I’ll do it.” He locked eye contact with Aziraphale. “Let me take care of you.” 

“You are.” Aziraphale leaned his forehead against Crowley’s, their noses touching. “I thought opening the shop would help but… it's all just sitting there and I think I know what needs to be done, but I’m scared.”

“It’s okay to be scared. Change is scary.” Crowley took a deep breath and steadied himself before he spoke again. “Losing Heaven is scary. I won’t lie to you, angel. I remember what it was like Before. When I was still an angel. And losing all of that. It still hurts. It might never go away.”

The tears began to fall from Aziraphale’s eyes. Crowley reached up and gently cupped his cheek, thumb brushing away the tears.

“But I am not going anywhere. All these years that we’ve known each other, you have been my one constant. Let me be yours now.”

Aziraphale nodded. Crowley gave him a small smile. 

“Okay. So… what can I do to help? What would help make you feel better?” 

Aziraphale looked around. “Can we…?” he sniffled. “Can we re-arrange the bookshop?”

“Absolutely. What else?”

Aziraphale nodded towards the rug. “Under the rug.”

“The Heavenly Dial-Up. It can go.”

Aziraphale nodded. “I painted it on. The human way.”

“Then we can clean it off the human way. Or I can miracle it away. Or both. Whatever would make you feel better. I mean it, angel. Whatever you need.” 

“Oh, Crowley. Thank you.” 

Crowley wiped away another tear and leaned in to kiss Aziraphale’s cheek. The angel smiled at him. 

“There is one more thing.” He moved his arms from around Crowley’s neck and with shaking hands pulling the gold ring off his pinkie. 

“You’ve had that forever, angel.”

“It was given to me after The War. For a job well done. I can’t keep it. Not now.”

He held it on the palm of his hand. Crowley stared at it a moment, before picking it up and holding it between his finger and thumb. He flourished his hand and the ring disappeared. 

“Gone. Melting away to nothing in the deepest fires of Hell,” he said. “But now your hand looks naked without it.”

Aziraphale held up his hand and looked at it from both sides. He shrugged as he put his arms around Crowley’s neck again. 

“I’ll get used to it.” 

Crowley wrapped both arms around his middle again and gave him a squeeze. Even as Aziraphale smiled at him, he was already thinking of what type of ring he might find for his angel, to replace it. 

“Is this what being on our side means?” Aziraphale asked. 

Crowley nodded. “Yes, angel.”

Aziraphale sighed and tucked his head against Crowley’s shoulder. They sat like that for a while, simply holding each other. Eventually, they did get up and began work on the bookshop. They spent the afternoon scrubbing away the sigil and Crowley gave it a once over with a demonic miracle for good measure. 

“Can I ask for one more thing?” Aziraphale asked as they prepared to go to dinner. 

“You can ask for anything, always, angel.”

Aziraphale nodded. “Can we stay at your place tonight?”

“Yeah, of course, angel. I said whatever you need.” He stepped towards Aziraphale and gently held his hands. “Our side. Always.”

“Thank you, dearest.” 

He leaned in and kissed Crowley on the cheek. Crowley helped Aziraphale close up the shop, shutting the blinds and turning off the lights. They both pulled on their jackets and Aziraphale locked the door behind them, content to know the bookshop would be there even if they weren’t returning for the night. As they made the small walk to the Bentley, Crowley reached over and held Aziraphale’s hand, giving it a firm squeeze. Aziraphale smiled at him, a real smile that made his blue eyes sparkle. Crowley knew they would be okay. They were on their side after all. That was all that mattered. 

**Author's Note:**

> You can follow me on tumblr [@5ftjewishcactus](https://5ftjewishcactus.tumblr.com/) or on twitter on my main [@5ftjewishcactus](https://twitter.com/5ftjewishcatus) or on my sfw gen fandom [@2ambiace](https://twitter.com/2ambiace) or my dbh [@asexualhankcon](https://twitter.com/asexualhankcon).


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